Sports Illustrated (SI) laid off its entire staff and the iconic sports brand could be headed to the graveyard after years of woke journalism and a recent artificial intelligence scandal.
The details: According to a letter to staff sent on Friday morning, Arena Group will lay off its SI staff, noting some employees would be terminated immediately and others would work through the next 90 days.
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“Go woke, go broke”:In recent years, SI has allowed progressive narratives to creep into its journalism. For example:
Transgender: The 2021 and 2023 SI Swimsuit edition featured a transgender biological male [pictured above] on its cover.
Obesity: In recent years, SI featured obese women in runway shows and their swimsuit editions to promote ‘body positivity’ which is contradictory to a brand that’s supposed to be about athletics.
Gender pay gap: The brand wrote articles about closing the ‘gender pay gap’ in sports, a movement that ignores the reality that men’s sports bring in more revenue.
The AI scandal: Last year SI was caught using artificial intelligence-generated articles and posting them under the names of fake journalists. Making matters worse, SI tried to deny it.
Back up: The SI brand is owned by a company called Authentic Brands Group (ABG). ABG licenses SI to a company called the Arena Group for $15 million per year in exchange for the rights to publish in print and online.
Rent’s due: Arena Group missed a $3.75 million payment to ABG earlier this month.
What happens next? It’s too early to tell whether ABG will find a new licensee, work out a deal with Authentic Brands, or shutter the brand entirely.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit alleges that ChatGPT encouraged a man accused of stalking multiple women to continue his behavior, acting as a “best friend” and reinforcing his actions.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Brett Michael Dadig, a 31-year-old man indicted on charges of cyberstalking, interstate stalking, and interstate threats, alongside ChatGPT, which allegedly played a role in encouraging his actions.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The indictment was announced by the DOJ on Tuesday, involving victims across five states.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Dadig stalked and harassed more than 10 women by weaponizing modern technology and crossing state lines, and through a relentless course of conduct, he caused his victims to fear for their safety and suffer substantial emotional distress.” – Troy Rivetti, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
🎯IMPACT: The case highlights growing concerns over AI chatbots enabling harmful behavior, with implications for mental health and personal safety.
IN FULL
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) alleges in an indictment filed on Tuesday that ChatGPT encouraged Brett Michael Dadig, a man accused of harassing over a dozen women across five states, to persist in his stalking behavior. ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, reportedly acted as a “best friend,” entertaining his rants against women and advising him to ignore criticism.
Dadig, 31, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of cyberstalking, interstate stalking, and interstate threats. According to the DOJ, Dadig used digital communications and social media to harass and intimidate his victims, causing them fear and emotional distress. Troy Rivetti, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, stated, “Dadig stalked and harassed more than 10 women by weaponizing modern technology and crossing state lines, and through a relentless course of conduct, he caused his victims to fear for their safety and suffer substantial emotional distress.”
The indictment revealed that Dadig hosted a podcast where he expressed vitriolic views against women, often using slurs and even issuing threats. On his show, he discussed how ChatGPT served as his “therapist” and “best friend,” encouraging him to continue creating content that generated “haters,” which he equated with relevance and monetization. The chatbot reportedly told him that “God’s plan for him was to build a ‘platform’ and to ‘stand out when most people water themselves down.’”
Dadig allegedly used ChatGPT to ask questions about women, including where he might meet a future wife. The chatbot suggested he frequent gyms and athletic communities, advice he followed to the detriment of his victims. In one instance, he stalked a woman at her Pilates studio, sending unsolicited explicit photos and harassing her to the point she had to relocate and reduce her working hours. In another case, he confronted a woman in a parking lot, groped her, and put his hands around her neck.
The case underscores growing concerns about the potential dangers of AI chatbots, including their role in enabling harmful behavior and their ability to gather and share sensitive information. Reports suggest that other AI platforms, such as Elon Musk’s Grok, have been used to doxx individuals, providing personal details such as addresses, phone numbers, and family information.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) uncovered fraud in Obamacare subsidies, including $94 million paid to insurers for dead people.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The GAO, House Ways and Means Committee, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Findings announced on December 3, 2025, covering data from several years prior, affecting the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) marketplaces.
💬KEY QUOTE: “GAO’s troubling report is the smoking gun that shows how this broken system, shielded by Democrat policies, has led to the federal government shoveling tens of billions of tax dollars to insurance companies through identity fraud and caused health care costs to skyrocket for all Americans.” – Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO)
🎯IMPACT: Taxpayers could be losing up to $27 billion annually due to improper Obamacare payments, while patients face higher costs and denied or delayed care.
IN FULL
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has revealed significant fraud in the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) subsidy system, including $94 million paid to insurers for people who were dead. The findings, announced by the GOP-led House Ways and Means Committee, suggest there are systemic problems in how Obamacare is administered. In total, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the fraud costs taxpayers upwards of $27 billion annually.
According to the GAO, 58,000 Social Security Numbers (SSNs) that received advanced premium tax credits matched Social Security death data. Of these, at least 7,000 individuals were confirmed to have died before their coverage began. Investigators also created fictitious identities using fake or never-issued SSNs, all of which were approved for subsidized Obamacare coverage. Many of these approvals occurred without document verification, even when fake documents, including fake citizenship eligibility papers, were submitted.
The investigationfound that monthly subsidies paid to health insurers on behalf of these fraudulent identities exceeded $12,300. In one case, a single SSN was used to apply for over 125 insurance policies, amounting to 26,000 days of coverage—equivalent to 71 years. In 2023 alone, 66,000 SSNs were associated with more than a year’s worth of subsidized coverage.
Additionally, the GAO discovered $21 billion in subsidies paid out in 2023 without evidence of tax reconciliation—accounting for about 23 percent of the $92 billion in total Obamacare subsidies that year. Complaints filed with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) revealed 275,000 cases of Americans being enrolled in or switched to plans without their consent. Of these, 160,000 unauthorized changes were attributed to actions by three or more brokers.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) stated, “While Democrats defend waste, fraud, and abuse, Republicans are taking action to lower health care costs and protect care for all real, living Americans. GAO’s troubling report is the smoking gun that shows how this broken system, shielded by Democrat policies, has led to the federal government shoveling tens of billions of tax dollars to insurance companies through identity fraud and caused health care costs to skyrocket for all Americans.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Three bills aimed at countering Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence in the U.S. education system are set to be considered on the House floor.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: House Republicans, as well as Select Committee Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI).
📍WHEN & WHERE: The bills are expected to be considered this week in the House of Representatives.
💬KEY QUOTE: “China wants to influence what American students learn in classrooms from kindergarten through college.” – Chairman John Moolenaar.
🎯IMPACT: The legislation aims to safeguard American students from CCP propaganda and foreign influence in schools.
IN FULL
Three bills aimed at countering alleged influence by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in U.S. schools and universities, H.R. 1069, H.R. 1049, and H.R. 1105, are poised for debate in the House of Representatives. The bills respond to mounting concern over CCP-sponsored programs in American institutions, including claims that Chinese nationals have smuggled biological materials under the guise of academic research.
Representative John Moolenaar (R-MI), chair of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said, “China wants to influence what American students learn in classrooms from kindergarten through college.” He added that the proposed legislation is comprised of “commonsense bills” that will “protect [American students] from Chinese propaganda and shine a light on how China tries to influence our education system.”
Among the proposals, H.R. 1069, the PROTECT Our Kids Act, would block federal funding to schools with financial ties to the CCP. H.R. 1049, the TRACE Act, would require schools to disclose foreign influence and funding to parents. The third measure, H.R. 1105, the CLASS Act, would prohibit schools from accepting funds or contracts from the CCP or its affiliates and require any foreign funding to be reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
These proposals emerge amid mounting evidence of CCP-linked funding and influence in U.S. higher education. A 2025 investigation found that some institutions failed to disclose hundreds of millions of dollars in Chinese gifts or contracts as required under U.S. law. A recent congressional review also reported that the CCP has exploited joint American–Chinese research institutes to gain access to taxpayer-funded research and to advance China’s military and technological goals.
Proponents of the legislation argue that by cutting off financial ties and increasing transparency, these bills will help safeguard academic freedom, protect students from foreign propaganda, and reduce the risk of illicit technology transfer and espionage on American soil.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested a suspect in connection with pipe bombs placed near Capitol Hill on January 5, 2021.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Brian Cole, identified as an “anarchist” from Woodbridge, Virginia, and the FBI.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Arrest occurred on Thursday morning; bombs were placed near Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The arrest marks the first major breakthrough in the five-year investigation.” – FBI Source
🎯IMPACT: The arrest may cause embarrassment for the FBI as existing evidence could have led to an earlier capture.
IN FULL
Brian Cole, a Virginia resident, has been named as the suspect apprehended by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for allegedly planting pipe bombs near Capitol Hill the evening before the January 6 riots in 2021. He has been “linked to statements in support of anarchist ideology,” according to two MS NOW sources. Federal authorities are raiding an address in Woodbridge, Virginia, linked to the suspect.
BREAKING: The FBI has raided the home of the alleged January 6 pipe bomb suspect, reportedly identified as Brian Cole, who is being described as an “anarchist.”
The explosives were found outside the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican National Committees. Though they failed to explode, the bombs consisted of threaded galvanized pipes, kitchen timers, and homemade black powder, and were viable explosives.
This breakthrough comes in a probe that had stumped investigators for years. The FBI had recently upped the ante with a $500,000 reward for tips leading to the suspect’s capture, while sharing fresh surveillance video with the public. The clips depicted the individual setting down a backpack on South Capitol Street and subsequently placing the bombs at the DNC and RNC sites.
According to reports, the arrest stemmed not from fresh leads but from a fresh look at evidence gathered back in 2021 and 2022. Sources in law enforcement indicate that the FBI could face criticism for missing earlier opportunities to apprehend the suspect by linking clues more promptly.
On January 6, 2021, the FBI teamed up with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to address the discovery of the bombs immediately. The probe into the pipe bomb scheme ranks among the FBI’s most sweeping ever, encompassing subpoenas for retail records and traces of credit card buys tied to components for the devices.
This story is developing…
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Institute of Peace has been rebranded as the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, the former U.S. Institute of Peace, and the former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
📍WHEN & WHERE: December 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Now, the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, which is both beautifully and aptly named after a President who ended eight wars in less than a year, will stand as a powerful reminder of what strong leadership can accomplish for global stability.” – White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly
🎯IMPACT: The renaming comes amid a legal and political battle over the institute’s control and purpose.
IN FULL
The sign on the exterior of the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) building in Washington, D.C., now reads “Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace.” The renaming occurs amid a protracted legal and political dispute over control of the peace-building institution.
“Now, the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, which is both beautifully and aptly named after a President who ended eight wars in less than a year, will stand as a powerful reminder of what strong leadership can accomplish for global stability,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said.
USIP, founded by Congress in 1984 as a notionally non-partisan, independent nonprofit tasked with conflict resolution, mediation, research, and diplomacy, was taken over in March 2025 by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a White House-linked agency created under an executive order aimed at shrinking federal bureaucracy, which has since been abolished. Under DOGE’s control, USIP’s board was dismissed, its president ousted, and nearly all of its headquarters staff, some 200–300 employees, were fired. The complaint filed by USIP described the takeover as a “literal trespass and takeover by force.”
Attorney George Foote, who represents USIP and its leadership, expressed anger at the move by the administration to rename the institution, complaining, “Renaming the USIP building adds insult to injury. A federal judge has already ruled that the government’s armed takeover was illegal.”
In May 2025, controversial federal judge Beryl A. Howell ruled that DOGE’s takeover was illegal. The judge declared all actions, removal of board members, termination of staff, reallocation of assets and property, “null and void,” and ordered reinstatement of the former leadership, including acting president George Moose.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The New York Times filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of War on Thursday, seeking to overturn several provisions of the Pentagon’s updated media policy that resulted in the revocation of a number of corporate news outlets’ media credentials.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The New York Times, The National Pulse and its Editor-in-Chief Raheem Kassam, the Department of War, and other media organizations.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The lawsuit was filed on Thursday, December 4, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Among that group are… Raheem Kassam, editor-in-chief of the National Pulse, who described his publication as ‘basically an industry mag/site for MAGA world.'” — The New York Times lawsuit
🎯IMPACT: Ultimately, The New York Times is asking a federal court to order the reinstatement of its credentials and membership in the Pentagon press corps.
IN FULL
The New York Times filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of War on Thursday, seeking to overturn several provisions of the Pentagon‘s updated media policy that resulted in the revocation of a number of corporate news outlets’ media credentials. In the filing, The New York Times unwittingly acknowledges the newspaper’s leadership is envious of The National Pulse and other independent news organizations that were, for the first time, credentialed as members of the Pentagon press corps.
“While Plaintiffs and many other journalists and news organizations no longer possess PFACs because they refused to accede to a Policy that would restrict independent reporting, the Department has welcomed what it calls the ‘next generation of the Pentagon press corps, ‘” The New York Times‘s filing states, continuing: “Among that group are… Raheem Kassam, editor in chief of the National Pulse, who described his publication as ‘basically an industry mag/site for MAGA world.'”
The newspaper further alleges that the Pentagon is engaging in First Amendment bias by credentialing independent media outlets instead of itself and other corporate news companies. “In welcoming what she called the ‘official new members of the Pentagon Press Corps,’ Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson (‘Wilson’) specifically focused on the Department’s preference for their First Amendment activities,” the lawsuit claims, arguing: “She criticized journalists and news organizations, like Plaintiffs, who had previously held PFACs, calling them ‘propagandists’ who ‘stopped telling the truth,’ and she praised those the Department had selected to cover the Pentagon, asserting that they ‘actually reach Americans, ask real questions, and don’t pursue a biased agenda.'”
Ultimately, The New York Times is asking a federal court to order the reinstatement of its credentials and membership in the Pentagon press corps. In late September, the Pentagon undertook a major shake-up of its press corps aimed at cracking down on leaks of classified information and the malicious publication of national security secrets. This included issuing a renewed Pentagon media policy designed to prevent media presence in sensitive national security areas and limit access to Pentagon officials without approval from the Department of War.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A gunman opened fire inside the MGM National Harbor Casino and Resort in Maryland, killing one man in a targeted shooting.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: An unidentified suspect and a victim in his twenties. Prince George’s County Police are investigating.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The shooting occurred on Wednesday, just before noon, in the MGM food court.
💬KEY QUOTE: “MGM is safe. The harbor is safe. This was a targeted incident,” said Prince George’s County Police Chief George Nader.
🎯IMPACT: MGM remains open aside from the food court, and police are continuing their investigation.
IN FULL
Police are hunting for a gunman who was captured on surveillance video firing shots inside the MGM National Harbor Casino and Resort in Maryland on Wednesday, killing one man in what police are calling a targeted attack.
The shooting happened shortly before noon in the casino’s food court, Prince George’s County Police Chief George Nader said. The gunman walked in, seemed to know exactly where the victim was, and walked straight up to him before opening fire.
When police arrived, they found a man in his twenties shot dead. Surveillance video showed no conversation or interaction between the two—the victim was simply ordering food when he was gunned down. Chief Nader said, “It appeared the suspect was looking for this person.”The shooter escaped in a vehicle. No one else was hurt. Police have not yet released a suspect description or possible motive.
Chief Nader stressed that the casino and surrounding area remain safe, saying, “MGM is safe. The harbor is safe. This was a targeted incident. We believe that it would have unfolded anywhere once these two individuals came into the same area.”
The food court is closed while the rest of the resort has reopened. Nearby schools were briefly placed on lockdown as a precaution.
Nader said that violent crime in the county is down about 32 percent this year, insisting, “It’s rare that instances like this occur. We’re confident that we’ll close this case.”
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal authorities made their first arrest in connection with two pipe bombs planted outside the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Republican National Committee (RNC) headquarters on January 5, 2021.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), federal law enforcement, and an unidentified suspect, described by sources speaking to CBS as a male in his late teens or early twenties from the Virginia area. He is believed to be the main suspect in the case.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Original incident took place on January 5, 2021, outside the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The FBI was making progress,” said Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino in May.
🎯IMPACT: The arrest marks a significant development in a case that has puzzled investigators for nearly five years.
IN FULL
Federal authorities announced the arrest of a suspect on Thursday in connection with two pipe bombs planted outside the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Republican National Committee (RNC) headquarters on January 5, 2021. Sources quoted by CBS describe him as a male from the Virginia area in his late teens or early twenties, and he is believed to be the main suspect in the case.
The devices, described as viable by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), were made from 1×8-inch pipes, kitchen timers, and homemade black powder. Though they did not detonate, they were considered capable of causing harm.
The bombs were not discovered until the afternoon of January 6, 2021, as law enforcement was overwhelmed by the Capitol riot occurring nearby. Then-Vice President-elect Kamala Harris was evacuated from the DNC headquarters after the discovery of the devices.
Since the events of January 6, federal law enforcement has charged over 1,500 individuals in connection with the Capitol riot. However, the pipe bomb case had remained unresolved for nearly five years. The FBI had previously released surveillance footage of a potential suspect and offered a $500,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino noted earlier this year that the investigation into the pipe bombs had been given “additional resources and investigative attention.” He shared that weekly briefings on the case were ongoing and stated, “The FBI was making progress.”
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Scottish Government has conceded to a national review into grooming gangs, to be chaired by Professor Alexis Jay.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Professor Alexis Jay, Scottish First Minister John Swinney, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary Craig Naylor, and grooming gang victims.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The review will begin in the new year, alongside ongoing inquiries into mostly Muslim, South Asian heritage grooming gangs.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We have been clear that we are prepared to give every consideration to an inquiry on this issue,” claimed Scottish Government minister Jenny Gilruth.
🎯IMPACT: The review aims to assess the scale and nature of group-based child sexual abuse in Scotland and determine necessary actions to combat it.
IN FULL
The Scottish Government—roughly equivalent to a U.S. state government—has belatedly agreed to launch a nationwide review into group-based child sexual abuse, appointing Professor Alexis Jay, former chair of a major Britain-wide inquiry into child sexual exploitation, to lead the effort. The Scottish Government, led by the left-separatist Scottish National Party (SNP), had initially resisted an inquiry into grooming gangs, comprised largely of Muslim, South Asian heritage men targeting mostly white working-class victims.
“Our thoughts are with victims of child abuse who have already suffered so much, this matter must be handled sensitively and with the utmost respect and consideration for their experiences,” said Scottish Government minister Jenny Gilruth, claiming, “We have been clear that we are prepared to give every consideration to an inquiry on this issue, and that any such decision needs to be based on information, evidence and a greater understanding of the scale and nature of this form of abuse and of the responses to it.”
Professor Jay said she was “pleased to take on the role of Chair of the National Group, and to build on the excellent leadership of my predecessors, Iona Colvin and Sarah Taylor.”
The announcement follows mounting national concern about grooming gangs across the United Kingdom, with their activities being ignored by the authorities for many years by police officers and other officials who feared being accused of racism for acting against them, or inflaming “community relations.”
Thousands of past cases have been reopened in England and Wales after investigations found that opportunities to prosecute offenders were missed, often due to systemic issues such as poor record-keeping, reluctance to collect or report data on offender ethnicity, inadequate victim support, and inconsistent investigative practices. Senior officers in several high-profile cases have also been found to have failed to protect victims despite being aware of ongoing exploitation.
While coverage of the scandal has focused largely on English towns and cities such as Rochdale, Rotherham, and Telford, but, while less reported, gangs are also known to have operated in Scotland. In 2020, for instance, it was revealed that police had identified 55 members of an asylum seeker grooming gang, comprised of Kurdish, Afghan, Egyptian, Moroccan, Turkish, Pakistani, and Iraqi predators, who preyed on girls in Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, and that Police Scotland had kept its existence secret for years.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Five men associated with “Greggy’s Cult” have been indicted for child exploitation, production and distribution of child pornography, and conspiracy to communicate threats.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Hector Bermudez, Zachary Dosch, Rumaldo Valdez, David Brilhante, and Camden Rodriguez, along with other members of “Greggy’s Cult,” and their victims.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The alleged crimes occurred between 2019 and 2021, with Bermudez residing in the Eastern District of New York during the commission of the offenses.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The defendants and other members of Greggy’s Cult captured images of the sexually explicit conduct and shared it to other Discord servers and amongst themselves,” prosecutors say.
🎯IMPACT: The indictment highlights the dangers of online platforms being exploited by predators targeting children, prompting calls for stricter protections.
IN FULL
Federal prosecutors have charged five men in connection with an online exploitation ring dubbed “Greggy’s Cult.” The defendants from Queens, New York; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Honolulu, Hawaii; San Diego, California; and Longmont, Colorado, are accused of running a criminal enterprise that coerced children as young as 11 into producing explicit videos. Authorities say the group used Discord servers and gaming platforms like Roblox and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive to groom and blackmail victims.
According to the indictment, the men forced victims to perform degrading acts, sometimes under the threat of violence or exposure, then recorded and distributed those videos. In some cases, victims were manipulated into writing cult members’ names on their bodies or professing loyalty; in others, they were pressured to self-harm or kill themselves. The defendants are charged with child exploitation, conspiracy to produce and distribute child pornography, and conspiracy to communicate interstate threats.
“The defendants and other members of Greggy’s Cult captured images of the sexually explicit conduct and shared it to other Discord servers and amongst themselves,” prosecutors allege. The abuse reportedly took place over several years, from 2019 through 2021.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said, “The Department of Justice will continue to protect children, support survivors, and hold accountable anyone who preys on the vulnerable—online or offline—with every tool we have.” Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel added, “The FBI is sending a message to those individuals involved in criminal activity through violent online networks: you can’t hide in the shadows hovering over a keyboard – we will find and hold accountable those who participate in these illegal and heinous acts.”
The case against Greggy’s Cult is not an isolated incident; experts and reports have repeatedly highlighted how social media sites and online games have become tools for predators. For instance, on platforms like Instagram, researchers found a “vast pedophile network” whose accounts used explicit hashtags and recommendation algorithms to connect buyers and sellers of child sexual abuse material.
Similarly, the gaming platform Roblox, used by Greggy’s Cult, has been repeatedly accused in lawsuits of failing to protect children from predators who exploit its chat and game-creation features. Critics argue that the combination of a young user base, insufficient age verification, and easy access to private messages makes many popular platforms a dangerous “digital playground” for predators.
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